Tech

What to Expect From Nokia and Microsoft's Big Announcement

Nokia and Microsoft are set to take the stage in just a few hours to unveil the next-generation of Lumia handsets.

Rumors have Nokia announcing two new Windows Phone smartphones Wednesday, both running the latest version of the operating system, Windows Phone 8.

Nokia announced its first two Windows Phone devices around this time last year at Nokia World in London. The two phones, the Lumia 710 and Lumia 800, were the first phones on the scene running Windows Phone 7, and the first phones to result from Nokia’s partnership with Microsoft.

When Nokia announces its Windows Phone 8 devices Wednesday they won’t be the first out of the gate. Samsung announced its Windows Phone 8 handset last week, in a way stealing some of the spotlight that might have been around Nokia with this announcement.

Although not the first, the phones are expected to be iconic when it comes to Windows Phone. Nokia’s Lumia 900 was touted by many as the best Windows Phone ever, an accolade the company will likely want to best with its next-generation devices.

What to Expect From Windows Phone 8

Microsoft officially announced Windows Phone 8 in June 2012. More than just a simple software update, the newest version of the operating system adds support for a number of hardware updates for Windows phones, allowing them to better compete with Android handsets and the iPhone.

For starters, Windows Phone 8 allows phones to support several processors, so there can now be dual and quad-core Windows Phones. Handsets now have support for higher-resolution displays (720p and 1280 x 768), microSD cards and near-field communication (NFC), which could be used for mobile payments.

Windows Phone 8 devices also support three different tile sizes on the home screen. So, you can use a large tile for ever-changing info like the weather, and save smaller tiles for things that only display a small amount of information.

What Does the Rumor Mill Say?

The Lumia 920 is rumored to be Nokia’s new flagship phone with a spec sheet including a 1.5GHz processor, a 4.5-inch screen, and 1GB of RAM. The phone is speculated to have 32GB of built-in storage, and an 8-megapixel built-in camera.

The Lumia 820 is thought to be a slightly smaller and more budget-friendly handset with a 4.3-inch screen. Rumors have the phone sporting a 1.5GHz processor and 1GB of RAM (the same as the 920), but adding removable colored back plates into the mix. The phone is also thought to only have 8GB of built-in storage, however, it will support microSD expansion, allowing you to potentially up the storage capacity of the device to 32GB.

Both phones are expected to support wireless charging. When placed on specifically designed bases the phones can charge without having to physically connect them into a power adapter or charger.

Where Does This Leave Nokia?

Since the 2007 introduction of the iPhone, Nokia has lost 90% of its market share. The company announced it would adopt Microsoft’s smartphone operating system in 2011, giving up the homegrown Symbian in an attempt to regain its role in the mobile market.

While the Lumia line has been successful, it hasn't been the run-away success that Nokia and Microsoft likely dreamed it would be. Nokia sold 4 million Lumia handsets in Q2 of 2012, compared to the 35.1 million iPhones sold during that same time.

While the company definitely has an uphill battle ahead, the numbers do show that there is a good amount of interest in Windows Phone as a platform and the Nokia brand. The improved hardware support in Windows Phone 8 may be just the help the company needs to push Windows Phone into the spotlight and further grow the platform and the Nokia brand.

What do you think we’ll see at Nokia and Microsoft’s big event? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

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